Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-08-19
GOING 70 PIECES.
A Tremendous Falling Off in the Membership
of the L ninhfs Of L n LIN.

of the Knights of Labor.
Philadelphia Special to the Sun
The fact can no longer be concealed
that the organization of the K. OF L. is
going down with appalling rapidity. A
score of assemblies are threatening to
withdraw altogether, and no correspond
ing additions to the membership are
gained to make up the losses. The rank
and file of the order seem to have become
supremely Indifferent as to whether it
prospers nowor not, and under these
circumstances it is not surprising that,
with all the forces of employers and
capitalists arrayed against them, the X.
of L. should be losing ground.
1t is safe to say that the paid-up mem
bershlp of the order is not half as large
now as 1t was one year ago. The dissatis-
faction with the present condition of
things extends all over the country, and
Is nowhere more plainly manifested than
IN this city, tho headquarters as well as
the cradle of the organizat. One would
suppose that for this very reason the
order here should be in q higher state of
perfection and discipline than elsewhere;
but such is not the case. On the contrary
the process of disintergation has made
40 . O'SiSSo ihLoduS TiSub mere III the
head and center of the organization.
The members are supremly Indifferent
as to the welfare of the organization.
They do not attend the assembly meet
ings. They do not pay their dues. They
do not enforce boycotts as they are urged
to do. They do not respond to appeals
for financial aid. They do not obey the
mandates of their general officers, and,
XChpt 9 oil Nc
not be awakened from the deep slumb
of Indifference into which they have
fallen.
The causes which have led to this de-
plorable state of affairs are not far to
seek. First, the X. of l.. have exhausted
themselves and Impoverished their trea-
surIes through their nnumerabIy strikes
and labor discussions. They have suffer
ed defeat in almost every recent fight
which they have waged against their en-
ployers, and consequently they have come
to place but little confidence in the ad-
vantages and capabilities of there or
ganization. Besides this, and notably
since the Richmond convention of the
General Assembly last October, a deep
seated conviction has entered the minds
of the thinking members of the order
that the management Of affairs is not at
at all such as it should be. These think
ing members say the general officers are
running things for their own benefit and
not for the good of the order at large
They allude with shame to the fact that
their officers center their undivided at
tention upon plants for reelection and
ACKNOWLEDGMENT, and not upon the
care of laborers' interests. Knights who
have visited the general headquarters
here invariably gone away devisted of
that awe and reverence for the members
of the general executive board which their
single minded brothers in the provincial
districts are so proud to cherish. Only
the other afternoon visiting delegate
was scandalized to see three prominent
members of the general executive board
enjoying themselves leisGrely in watch
ing baseball game. Turning 10 local
labor leader of his acquaintance, the
visitor asked:
us this what we pay our general officers
SO day for, when there is so much work
to be done?"
eyes" answered his friend, chats
what we pay them for; bat if you lived
here, and saw more of their life, you
wouldn't be so surprised at what you see
now. You are mistaken if you imagine
our general officers are workingmen
now"
The remarkable Indifference every
where in the order, even as to matters
which vitality concern the interests of the
members, is shown emphatically in the
statement which comes from the general
headquarters to the effect that not half
the whole number of the local assemblies
voted at all upon the adoption or rejec-
ton of the new constitution, They evil
IDENTIFY did not care whether it became the
law to govern the Knights or not, although
the new provisions, placing the most ar
bitrary powers in the hanGs of the execu-
tive board, are really appalling TO those
who have the future well-being of the
order at heart. The ambition of the
present chief officers for unlimited power
is seriously threatened in the popular
movement toward the formation of
national trades assemblies, and this is
the reason why so much difficulty is ex-
perienced by the shoemakers, iren work
ers, DC, in obtaining national characters,
even after all the requirements of the con-
stitution, however, which General Secre
tary Luchman announces has been pass
ed by over two thirds vote, the general
executive board can refuse at will to grant
national charters, even after the assem-
blies desiring to have gone through all
the technicalities prescribed by law.